She Knew Who?
by Jovian Trilogy
Summary: Hamas is out to seek revenge for Ari's death and when they do some shocking revelations about Ziva and Kate are out in the open and relationships are explored.eventual tiva.: rated for the language i always put in there. AU
1. Little Angles Might be Real Angels Soon

**A/N: this is immensely AU. i have a little idea where i want to go but it'll be a while so bear with me until then.:D**

**not sure if i want to do any ships in this i dont think i will .;)**

**Disclaimer: as much as i would like to deny i do not own NCIS or the characters besides Carter and Alex....  
**

Ziva walked into NCIS that morning and was surprised that everyone was there but then she looked at the date and she knew why. It was exactly five years since Kate died.

Ziva decided to keep quiet and out of their ways today. She knew what it was like to lose a friend and Ziva was mourning a friend of her own.

They didn't get a case that day much to Ziva's displeasure-she could really use the distraction.

At 1900 Ziva went home. Right when she left the three men started talking.

"Alright what time are we going to the cemetery?" Tony asked Gibbs.

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't know. Ask Abby." Abby chose that moment to appear in the bullpen.

Having heard the conversation she looked at Tony and then answered. "Right now. Lets go people move!" Abby ordered them. Gibbs couldn't help smirk at Abby telling them what to do.

Fifteen minutes later they showed up at the cemetery red roses in hand. Except for Abby hers was black. When they tried to get her to bring a red one she insisted that Kate would like the black better from her.

As they walked along the path and turned towards Kate's grave they saw a woman sitting on the grave leaving against the headstone. Her lips were moving so it was obvious she was talking to 'Kate' as the team got closer they recognized the woman instantly.

It was Ziva.

They stayed behind her so that she couldn't see them and far enough away so she wouldn't feel there presence(most likely) but close enough to hear what Ziva was saying.

"You know, everyone really misses you Kate. I cant believe its been five years it seems like just yesterday that you were at my apartment telling Carter and Alex you would be home later. I still remember getting the call from your father. He wanted to take the girls but I wouldn't let him. I told him that you would want me to have your little angels. I know I was right."

At this the team exchanged a confused look. _Kate had kids? Ziva has Kate's kids? Ziva knew Kate?_

"They are doing well. I know how hard it is to grow up without a mother and comparing me to them they are doing so much better than I did. They will be seven next month. You used to never be able to tell them apart. You still cant-at first glance. Once you talk to them for five minutes you wouldn't think they were twins. They took after you in looks and personality. Not a trace of the bastard father in them. Thank god."

Ziva paused to take a breath she was visibly shaken talking to Kate and team thought she might even be crying.

"On the day you died I actually thought about going to your funeral. Yeah yeah I know. I could see you yelling at how stupid that would be. I knew the girls couldn't go. There would be too many questions. Plus they were only two and they needed comfort. I officially adopted them a month after you died- it took that long to realize my best friend was never coming back." by now tears were streaming down Ziva's face and she didn't even try to wipe them away.

"I am surprised that the team is not here yet. Immediately after I got up they started talking about it. But I doubt they thought I could hear them. And I doubt they know that I know there right behind me." she whispered this part.

Ziva considered getting up and playing dumb if they asked her who Kate was but she knew that Kate would frown upon that so she stayed.

"I considered telling them multiple times but I felt that I shouldn't partly because I thought you wouldn't want them to know and partly because I was afraid that everyone would hate me. And the questions-you know how much I hate those. I suppose I could tell Jenny. She almost met you. She teamed up with me a week after you left for the Secret Service. I never did understand why you left but it doesn't matter."

"You would be so proud of your little girls. I tell them stories about you all the time. They never asked about there father so I guess they knew it was a sore subject. Now Alex is the smartest six year old I have ever met. She is already fluent in Hebrew and French. Carter is getting there with her languages. She is far better than any other six year old but no where near her sister. Carter's passion is dance, it is beautiful to watch her. She is magnificent. I know you made them proud and I promise to keep you in their thoughts and minds. Until next time old friend."

With that Ziva placed a rose and a cross on her grave along with a picture of Kate Carter Alex and herself. She wiped a tear from her eye and didn't dare look where she knew her co-workers would be.

The team watched Ziva brake down. This was not the Ziva they knew and instead of them being mad they were touched by how much she could actually care. Someone they had all cared about had gotten passed her tough exterior and emotional wall.

They watched as Ziva got up and walked into the embrace of who they could only guess were Carter and Alex. They watched as she gingerly picked one up and put her on her back while watching the other one dance in front of her. They did bear a shocking resemblance to Kate.

They turned and walked towards Kate and were about to put there own roses on her grave when they heard tires screech.

They turned just in time to see a truck tumble into Ziva's mini.

**Review please if you want me to contiue. they make my day.:)**


	2. Doctos Never Understand

**A/N: thank you everyone who added to favorites/story alerts/reviewed.**

**this chapter is incredibly short but i wasnt sure what to do for it so just bear with me. next chapter will have the confrontation with ziva and the team&who was in the drivers seat..but not until next chapter .  
**

The last thing Ziva remembered was getting herself and the girls into the car and then nothing.

She woke up and the first thing she was aware of was blinding light. _Great. I'm dead. Just dandy. Oh god! The girls. Where are they?_

She looked around and saw familiar faces but she didn't see Carter or Alex. That sent her into panic mode.

"Carter! Alex! Where are they? Oh my god! They aren't dead are they?" the thought of this made Ziva throw up. Tony laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Ziva looks it's ok. They're fine. Don't worry. They will be fine and so will you."

She was about to open her mouth and ask for Carter and Alex again when a doctor walked into the room. "Good you're awake. Now can you tell me what your name is?"

She looked at him like he had three heads. "Yes I can."

"What is it then?"

"Ziva David now where are Carter and Alex?"

The doctor ignored her questions and kept asking her annoying questions she didn't care about.

"Who is the president?"

Ziva decided to not cooperate with the doctor. "I don't care."

The doctor sighed under his breath and asked another question. "What day is it?"

Ziva ignored his question. "Let me see Carter and Alex!!!!" no body had ever seen her that angry.

"Miss David you can see them once you answer the questions I'm asking you."

At this Ziva got out of her bed ignoring the pain in her ribs and walked over to the doctor and grabbed his throat. "If you do not let me see them I will not hesitate to kill you doctor."

The doctor looked over at her visitors his eyes pleading for help but they were all to interested in the wall floor and ceiling. He knew he wasn't going to get out of this one.

"Alright there in the next room over. But be quiet they're still asleep." Ziva released her grip from the doctor but then tightened it again.

"If you are lying to me you will die a slow and painful death. Understand?" the doctor gulped and then nodded.

Ziva walked out of the room and into the girls' room to see the little angels.

But not before she heard the doctor mutter crazy chick...yes she was.

**so no cliffhanger this time.i felt nice because i live for cliffhangers.**

**totally random but:does anyone else think back to cloak when ziva&lee were in the garage before lee went to the reseraunt you know when lee said "you would do what i did?" when watching aliyah.i deffinetly did!**

**anywayss...review!they make my day&better chapters.:D  
**


	3. Questions and Bad Surprises

**A/N:sooo sorry i didn't update yesterday. it bugs me to wait for chapter so i'm trying my best to not make you wait.**

**funny story that shows how much i am OBSESSED with NCIS: two times in the same day said dear Gibbs instead of dear God(sad right?)**

**also i was watching he's just not that into you the other night and Sasha Alexander is in that movie. i started flipping out when i watched it. by the way good movie..my recommendations.**

**jenny is i havent said that already. soo obviously AU.  
**

**i dont own...unfortunalty but by now you should know that.**

**on with the story.  
**

Ziva walked into Carter and Alex's room-the doctor hadn't lied they were next door however they were awake but Ziva was glad. She needed to talk to them.

She grabbed a chair from next to Carter's bed and placed it in between the two beds.

"Are you two ok?" both girls looked at each other skeptically before nodding there heads and Carter answered for both of them.

"I just broke my wrist so I can still dance!" she was obviously excited about this as she would be very upset if she had to wait to dance. "And Alex here fractured her foot so no soccer for her."

Ziva looked over to Alex and saw she was pouting a little. Soccer was her favorite sport but she would live. She would just bury herself in her studies.

"But other than that were just peachy." Ziva took note that Carter failed to mention the gash on her leg and her sisters head that a truck could have driven through.

Ziva smirked at Carter and raised her eyebrow. Just peachy huh? She turned away from Carter and faced Alex and glaring kindly but forcefully at Alex. She had always fallen subject to Ziva's tricks and she was the worst liar Ziva had ever seen.

"Are you just _peachy_ Alex? Alex nodded her head violently and Ziva noticed the dizzy look she got.

"Yes were fine but we were so worried about you! We kept asking what happened to you but they wouldn't tell us so we thought you were really bad off or…" Alex didn't have to finish the thought for Ziva to know what she meant.

"When they _pulled_ you out of the car you weren't awake and you were covered in blood. We tried to scream your name but you wouldn't wake up. We thought you left to go with mommy up in heaven."

After Alex finished speaking she got up despite the protest in her ribcage and walked over to Alex's bed and picked her up ignoring the pain in her shoulder and brought her over to Carter's bed. She then sat on the end of the bed with one girl on either side of her her arms wrapped around them.

"Girls, I'm not leaving you. I promised you're mom that I would take care of you and I will. I want you guys to understand I love you more than anything and nothing will change that."

She swept Carter's hair away from her face and placed and kiss on her forehead and did that same with Alex carefully avoiding her bandage that was on top of her cut.

She then carried Alex back to her designated bed again ignoring the pain in her ribs and shoulder. She pulled her blankets up to her chin and placed another kiss on her forehead.

"Now get a good rest tonight ok girls. We'll leave in the morning and I promise we'll do something fun. I'm in the room right next door if you guys need anything. Goodnight. I love you my two little lambs."

As Ziva walked out of the room she heard the muffled "I love you too" come from both twins.

She opened the door and three people immediately fell towards her but they caught themselves in time. She looked up to see the three eavesdroppers and was not surprised to find McGee Abby and Tony standing there sheepishly.

"Enjoy the show?" she smirked. Her secret was out there was no pint in hiding it anymore.

Tony was the first to recover. "Who woulda thought? Our ninja warrior assassin _good_ with kids! And Kate's kids! Now why didn't we know? Whose the father? When were they born?" Tony bombarded her with questions that she knew were to come but she still didn't want to answer.

"I'm tired. Going to bed. See you guys in the morning." she strode past them and into her room to lay down and sleep but stopped dead in her tracks.

"You know was right. You are rather good with Caitlin's kids."

Ziva's blood turned to ice. She thought she was going to throw up. It was their father.

**by there father i mean Carter&Alex's father. just thought i should clear that who do you think the father is?  
**

**click the little review button even if its good/bad/so-so.i love the have next chapter up tomorrow but if i dont please dont bite my head off;)**


	4. Painful Memories and Bad Guests

**A/N:another random thing(i just love rambling in here!)**

**if Ziva was dating Rivkin during all of season 6 what was up with the elevator scene in cloak? i mean we all know what she was talking about but if she WAS for real dating Rivkin then she wouldnt say she was tired of pretending to Tony. just a thought.....**

**I dont own...yadda yadda yadda:/  
**

Tony McGee and Abby were walking back to the waiting room where Gibbs Jenny and Ducky were when they heard someone yelling from the direction they just came.

Tony and McGee turned in that direction while Abby went to get Gibbs. Once the three of them got there they went to rush into Ziva's room but the door was locked.

Meanwhile in the room Ziva wasted no time in hello's.

"What do you want?!" Carter and Alex's father smirked and advanced on her. Ziva cringed and stepped back as he walked towards her.

Normally she would stand her ground not move but she was frightened. Not only for herself but for the two girl's in the next room.

Then another person stepped out of the shadows and now she truly felt afraid. She felt her stomach drop down to her feet and she froze. The painful memories came flooding back to her.

_Flashback:_

_Kate and Ziva were walking out of a bar. They had just finished their mission which was taking out a HAMAS terrorist cell. They thought they got everyone-they were wrong. Two were left behind._

_Kate and Ziva didn't know they were HAMAS when they offered them drinks. They didn't know there was something in there. They didn't know that they knew the two woman were responsible for taking out their cell. And they didn't know not to take the drink because they were already way past drunk._

_All Ziva remembers before passing out was walking past an alleyway arms linked with Kate's._

_The next thing she knew she was awake it was morning she had no clothes on and neither did Kate and there were cuts and bruises all over them._

_Four weeks later Kate found out she was pregnant with twins she left her partnership with Ziva but they always kept in touch._

_Ziva vowed to Kate that she would take care of her girls if god forbid anything bad happened and it did._

_End flashback_

"Now Ziva where are your manners? You don't want to be rude to us," he motioned between himself and his friend. "now would you. You don't seem to forget us but maybe you have forgotten what we can do." he advanced on Ziva and motioned for his friend to follow.

She watched in horror as Ari's right hand men came towards her. She could vaguely hear Tony Gibbs McGee and Jenny yelling her name but she was in another world right now.

She didn't even feel it when they punched her she stood there and took the beating. She didn't wince as she heard and felt two ribs crack-again.

And when they jumped out of the window and into their car she sat down her back against the wall and stared out the window.

That was how her team found her ten minutes later when they finally got the door open. She saw out of the corner of her eye Tony and McGee rubbing there arms so she guessed they knocked the door down by running into it.

When the team saw her they saw fresh cuts and her rib cage looked even more swollen than before.

She didn't protest when Gibbs and DiNozzo picked her up and set her in her bed. She didn't acknowledge there presence she was snapped out of her trance by Gibbs' voice.

"Ziver," he started using her nickname now she knew she needed to talk. "what is going on?"

Ziva sighed and controlled her breathing before starting on her story with the painful memories of her and Kate on that one night…

** make my day:)**


	5. Gunshots and Stories

**A/N: thank you everyone who reviewed/read/favortized/subscribed to this story.** **it means a lot to me that im not writing this story for no reason.**

**im thinking about putting Jibbs&McAbby in here. the Tiva is most likely going to happen because i can never help myself.:)tell me if you want it or not&yes i am bribing you.  
**

**i dont own..blah blah.**

"By now you probably know that the two little girls in the next room are Kate's kids. Me and Kate met ten years ago. She saved my life I saved hers so we trusted each other instantly. We worked missions together to stop HAMAS terrorists cells around the world. Three years after we met we had a dangerously hard mission. We were to find a rather large terrorist cell and blow it up-all crew members inside." she paused to control her shaky breath.

"We completed it sort of. We were unaware of the two people that had spotted us and slipped out before I detonated the bomb."

The team watched Ziva try her hardest not to break down they had no idea what was coming next but they were pretty sure it wasn't going to be good.

"That night we were at a bar and I don't even know how it happened. He didn't accept drinks from anyone that offered them but now I suppose that he could have been the bartender. Anyways it does not matter. We left the bar and we were a bit more than tipsy. We both do not remember the rest of that night until we woke up in some weird place."

She was visibly shaken by retelling this story and Gibbs instantly felt guilty for making her tell it.

"A few weeks later Kate found out she was pregnant with twins so we had a fairly obvious guess as to what happened that night."

Ziva shuddered at the thought of being weak and vulnerable on that night.

"She flew back to the states and joined the Secret Service. She was only there a year before you guys came along. It was only a month or so after she had Carter and Alex that she joined NCIS. I was in the country the third time Ari was in the country I was there because Kate had said she needed help with the girls so I told my father I was there to keep an eye on Ari- I did such a good job on that."

They watched as Ziva punched herself in the leg at the thought of pretty much getting her best friend killed.

"While I was visiting she told me that if anything happened to her that I was to take care of her girls and to not tell anyone about them. She had a lot more faith in me then I deserved but I am managing so it is quite alright."

When she looked up from the spot she had fixated her gaze on she expected to see hurt and anger in everyone's eyes.

She didn't expect to see compassion and understanding and in Abby's case-tears in their eyes.

Abby leapt forward at Ziva and engulfed her in a huge hug which Ziva gratefully returned.

She didn't mind them knowing. Actually it was like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders but she wasn't sure how they were going to treat her now that they knew she was looking after two kids.

Gibbs interrupted her thoughts by clearing his throat. Abby let go of Ziva and let Gibbs sit on the edge of the bed.

"So the two men that were just in here were the men from that night?" Gibbs asked even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

Ziva just nodded in response.

"What do they want?" Gibbs and the rest of his team were pretty sure that they weren't going to like the next words.

"Revenge," she stated then added in a quieter voice "them." she pointed to Carter and Alex's room.

Now Gibbs knew exactly what they wanted revenge from but the others did not. Ziva sent him a knowing look and he nodded.

The other's noticed this exchange but didn't know what to think of it.

"I'm just going to let the cat out of the sack." Tony was about to say _bag_ when Gibbs slapped him on the head.

"Let her talk DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered then nodded to Ziva again. He noticed that she was having trouble forming the words so he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I killed Ari so he wouldn't kill Gibbs now those two men want revenge they were Ari's right hand men."

Everyone except Gibbs looked at her shocked she had just dropped two humongous bombs on them in a matter of five minutes.

They were stopped from responding when they heard a knock on the door and watched a little girl gracefully walk in.

When Ziva saw the tear stains on her cheeks she went into panic mode. She jumped out of bed and scooped Carter up and brought her back to her bed while the team backed up. It looked like a personal moment.

"Where's Alex, Carter?"

"In bed sleeping." Ziva guessed that Alex wasn't the reason Carter was in here. "That was _him_ wasn't it?" Ziva noted at how she spat out _him_ like it was venom.

"Yes sweetie it was." Ziva saw the panicked expression on Carter's face and turned her so that she was facing herself. "Don't worry. I wont let him hurt you."

Carter looked more relieved now she had always believed what Ziva said but this time she wanted to double check. "Pinky promise?" Carter held out her pinky.

Ziva mimicked her action then stated "Pinky promise." before picking her up and settling her on her back and carrying her back to her own room.

The team watched in awe at how good she was with kids and not only that but comforting them too. This was not the Ziva the knew.

They couldn't help but wonder what other secrets she might be hiding underneath her Mossad ninja warrior exterior.

All of there thoughts quickly vanished when they heard gunshots glass shattering and scream coming from the next room.

**muahaha cliffhanger!!!there will probably be one of these every othe chapters just so you'll want more&wont get bored.**

**nobody is going to die in the next chapter(duhh!only the 6th chaoter) but someone will get &tell me who you want it to be.&yes i am bribing again.i just love reviews.:)  
**


	6. Code Blue

**A/N: i'm really happy about all the positive feedback im getting. and all of the story alerts/favorite em' coming!**

**check out my other story called "This Story Has No Title."great name right?  
**

**no i do not own nor will i ever own NCIS or the characters.  
**

The team ran as if in slow motion to the room next door. When they got into the room they couldn't help but gasp.

When Ziva heard the first bullet go off she jumped up to Alex and pulled her off the bed and onto the ground dragging Carter behind her.

She didn't even notice that the shooting had stopped and her family at NCIS was standing in the doorway gasping.

All she was aware of was the pain. Not the physical pain. The emotional pain. The pain of leaving two little girls motherless again.

The pain of putting her family related to her or not through the pain of losing another one.

The pain of letting the bad guys win. She never let them win.

The pain of giving up. Doing what comes easily-welcoming the blackness that surrounded her.

She could of sworn she saw Kate's face telling her not to give up. To have hope. She'd be fine. They were coming to help her. That she had a chance. She would make it through this.

But it all faded and Ziva gave up hope. _So this is what it's like to die._ she didn't really mind.

She welcomed the pain free blackness that now surrounded her and she gave in and welcomed it.

Three hours later the team was sitting in the waiting room. Ziva had been rushed into surgery because the bullet had went into her chest. They thought it might have nicked her lunch and even her heart.

Gibbs got the courage to ask if she would make it. The doctors said that it would be a miracle. He didn't ask the doctors anything again.

Carter and Alex sat in their room alone. They had no one else. Ziva was all that was left. Kate was an only child and her parents died a few years after she did.

Whenever anyone from the team looked at the twins they couldn't help but see Kate in them. It was like a demon from there past. Haunting them daring them to forget and move on. None of them could.

Nobody would look at those kids the same again.

Inside the OR the doctors were rushing around the almost lifeless body before them. How she was alive none of them knew. If she was going to live none of them thought it possible.

They were about to extract the bullet when the heart monitor went flat. _Shit! This was the worst part of the job._

"CODE BLUE ROOM 143 CODE BLUE!"

The team sat in silence as they heard the room number. None of them daring to say anything.

The only sound was Abby's stifled cries and McGee's silent shushing. She was trying to be strong for her Israeli ninja friend.

But how could she be strong if Ziva couldn't be?

They sat and stared at the door for what seemed like hours hoping that a doctor would come out with some hopeful news.

Carter and Alex sat in the same bed comforting each other. They had no one else. If the lost Ziva they wouldn't have anywhere else to go.

When they heard the code blue they knew. They didn't know what room she was in or even what a code blue was. Hell, they were only six.

All they knew was it was bad and it was happening to Ziva.

**i know i said every other chapter for the cliffhangers but i couldnt help myself!**

**review pretty please with sugar on top.  
**


	7. Protection

**A/N: sorry i didnt update yesterday i could only update one story cause thats all i felt like/had time to do. and i chose my story "This Story Has No Title."cause it only had one chapter whereas this one had 6.:)dont hate me. im givivng you another chapter today.**

**i sadly only own Carter&Alex. no one else.  
**

All Ziva was aware of was long beeeeeeep and then nothing but blackness.

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Doctors rushed around Ziva as her heart stopped beating. "Clear!" shock. Nothing. "Clear!" shock. Nothing. "Clear!" shock. Nothing. After five tries the doctors gave up hope.

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Ziva was in a room. With Kate. _Crap! I'm dead. Lovely. _what she didn't expect was for Kate to walk up to her and Gibbs slap her.

"Owe! What was that for?"

"Giving up. Leaving my girls behind. Leaving your family behind. Letting those bastards get away. Uhmm….yeah that's it." she pointed to a finger each time she said something.

"You think I want to be dead?" Kate chuckled.

"Now that's the Ziva I know! Good. Now you're not dead. Almost but not dead. You need to fight really hard to stay alive. Can you do that Ziva? Fight the blackness with your ninja skills. Fight it."

And so she did Ziva fought the blackness with all her might but it still seemed to consume her. One time she got so close. Then the blackness overtook her again. She was getting tired. Weak. She couldn't go on anymore. She was pretty sure she heard that in a movie Tony made her watch.

She smiled to herself before letting the warm feeling pulse through her body and she welcomed it like never before.

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The doctors looked at Ziva's lifeless body and sighed. One doctor went back to his patients while the other broke the bad news to the "family" or whoever the hell those people were. He was almost certain they weren't her family but they most of them carried guns and the Goth one was scary so he didn't push it.

He sighed and left the room leaving a nurse to take care of the lifeless body of Ziva David.

He opened to OR doors and walked into the waiting room. "Family of David?" he was pretty sure that he pronounced it wrong but nobody had the heart to correct him.

An older one with silver hair and a coffee cup walked in front of the big group and raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"We did all we could but we couldn't save her." they all looked at him with shocked eyes. Both girls broke into hysterics and he saw tears make their way down all the men's faces. None of them even trying to wipe them away for they knew more would be coming.

However the man that looked to be around the dead woman's age didn't move. He didn't blink. The doctor thought he went into shock. The silver haired men slapped him on the back of the head but he didn't move. He didn't cry. The doctor wanted to check him for shock symptoms but they all told him to go away.

As if he was the one that shot Miss David instead of tried to save her.

He sighed and started to turn around _He really hated this part of his job but you can't save everyone._

He was about to go for coffee when he heard the nurse he was just working with scream "She's breathing!" he went into auto pilot and ran at the speed of lightning towards David's room.

_She was a fighter. She had a chance._

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Two hours later they had her in a room and she was stable and her "family" was aloud to visit her.

They watched her in silence and after a few moments Carter and Alex walked into the room and sat on the edge of Ziva's bed each taking one hand in their own before the twins joined hands.

Tears trickled down the little girls cheeks as they watched the woman that was like a mom to them in a bed broken and weak. She had officially been dead for two minutes and twenty three seconds. Far too long for them to have much hope.

The team watched in awe as the girls sang a lullaby to Ziva. It was Hebrew so none of them knew what they were saying but they had beautiful.

Abby almost cried when Ziva's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the Hebrew lullaby her mom sang her and she sang to Kate's kids since they were born.

She smiled at them and once they noticed Ziva was awake they pounced on her with a hug that rivaled Abby's. it wasn't until a few minutes later when Jen noticed the pained look on Ziva's face,

"Girls, I think you might be hurting Ziva." she tried using a calm tone so they wouldn't freak out but they just held on tighter.

They were about to physically extract the twins from Ziva when Carter and Alex yawned breaking the hug.

A look of relief flashed across Ziva's face but she quickly washed it away.

"When do I get out of here?" everyone including Carter and Alex couldn't help but laugh at her impatience.

"Tomorrow." she groaned. Gibbs smirked. He hadn't told her the bad news yet. "DiNozzo's on protection detail for you Carter and Alex."

They turned around and looked at him with flabbergasted looks on their faces. Gibbs smirked and raised an eyebrow. This was going to be interesting.

**did you really think i would kill off Ziva?! c'mon seriously? review please.i lovee 'em.**


	8. Disaster Strikes Again, and Again

**A/N:told you i would get my second chapter of the day up.:)**

**again im sorry for not updating yesterday.**

**i do not own nor will i ever own NCIS or its characters.  
**

"Gibbs I can take care of myself and the girls fine, I've been doing it for five years." Gibbs just smirked at Ziva amused.

"Yeah well HAMAS wasn't out seeking revenge for Ari's death then now were they?"

Gibbs instantly knew he said too much when Ziva's face turned to ice.

Gibbs went to open his mouth to apologize when Ziva gave him a small smile letting him know all was forgiven.

Ziva fell into a deep slumber later that night for the first time in weeks they weren't interrupted by nightmares.

She was pretty sure that had to do with the fact that her partner was sitting next to her stroking her leg. His head in her lap.

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The next morning Ziva Tony and the girl's left the hospital as quick as possible. Ziva hated hospitals with a passion.

She wasn't paying attention when the doctor murmured the usual "Get rest, no physical activity, have someone with you at all times." crap that made Ziva hate doctors.

Tony noticed she was paying less than none attention to the doctor so he said their goodbye's for everyone and they headed to Tony's apartment.

Of course Ziva protested. First she wanted to go to her apartment and got a Gibbs slap from Tony for. And he got a rather hard punch in the arm.

He lifted his shirt a little bit. _Yep. There's a bruise. Lovely._ Ziva smirked when she saw the bruise she left on Tony's arm and Alex gave Ziva a high five._ This. Is. Going. To. Be. Hell._

The second thing Ziva argued about of course was driving. Tony used his old "I don't want to die speech." but turned it into "I don't want Carter and Alex to die."

Then Alex spoke for the first time that day. "We like Ziva's driving." she had an evil smirk on her face and then Tony realized that Ziva had fished the keys out of her pocket and she was sitting in the driver's seat. Car started. Seat belt off. _You would think after getting in a car accident she would want to wear a seat belt._ But no. in fact Ton thought the car accident made her driving worse-if that was possible.

Tony and Ziva immediately passed out on the couch from exhaustion while Carter and Alex took Tony's bed.

None of them noticed the smoke that now consumed the apartment until Tony woke up at 1700h.

The smoke was so thick he could barely breathe let alone see but he managed to find Ziva and shake her awake.

She coughed loudly but got up and sprinted towards Tony's room. He followed without a word.

They burst through the door to find Carter sitting up in the bed coughing and crying. Ziva didn't see Alex and her heart dropped. Carter saw her expression and pointed towards the window where Ziva and Tony saw a black ford license plate MVB-549P speed away.

They knew it was too late to get her now so they grudgingly got out of the house before they passed out from smoke inhalation. Ziva hugging Carter so close to her chest as if she loosened her grip Carter would be taken too.

They barely made it down the steps when the whole building engulfed in flames.

** of a cliffhanger one but its still .:D**


	9. No Growling Ziva

**A/N:enjoyyyy.:)**

**dont isnt it?**

Ziva collapsed in the ground as soon as they were off the steps. She crawled over to her car and sat on the roof hugging Carter close to her body.

Tony knew that Ziva wouldn't call Gibbs in a million years in the state she was in. Tony decided he would be the bearer of bad news. He fished his phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial 3.

"Gibbs."

"Hiya Boss!"

"DiNozzo what the hell do you want? It's alost ten you guys should be asleep by now."

"You see Boss….we were asleep and then I woke up and my apartment was all smoky it took me ten minutes to find Ziva and wake her up even though we were both on the couch." he mentally winced at the slap he would be receiving right now. Rule 12, what kind of rule is that?

"Anyways, when he finally got to my room we found Carter in the middle of the bed crying and we didn't see Alex. She didn't say anything just pointed to the window and we saw a black ford speeding away." he sighed and waited for Gibbs to answer.

"Alright, me and McGee will be there soon. Stay with them DiNozzo. Do not let them out of your sight!"

"Got it Boss!" Tony replied but was pretty sure he had already hung up. Tony walked over to Ziva's car where he saw Ziva and Carter on the roof. Not wanting to break it by climbing on Tony picked up Ziva and Carter at the same time and put them on the ground.

He set them against the wall sitting next to Ziva wrapping his arm around her bringing her closer to him.

At any other time under any other circumstances Tony would have loved to wrap his arms around Ziva. But now he wished he didn't have to comfort her because Alex was missing.

Not long after Gibbs, McGee, fire trucks and ambulances pulled up. One EMT made the bad mistake of trying to remove Carter from Ziva's arms to make sure she was okay.

Not only did Ziva glare at him but she growled feircly and the worker immediately backed away. He looked to Tony for some sort of help.

He whispered gently in Ziva's ear. "No growling Ziva. Now give him Carter. He's an EMT. He's just going to look her over. Then he will give her back to us."

Ziva nodded but didn't hand Carter over. Instead she got up pulling Tony with her and walked over to one of the ambulances sitting on the edge.

Again the man tried removing Carter from Ziva's hands. Again she growled. Gibbs, seeing the complication walked over and Gibbs slapped her. She didn't even blink.

Gibbs sighed and pried Carter from Ziva's death grip. She started to growl again but she noticed it was Gibbs and stopped. She shot Gibbs an apologetic look which he returned.

He knew what it was like to lose a daughter and he didn't want Ziva going through that. Ziva was strong but he didn't think she would be able to handle that.

Not after all the people she had lost in her life. Well the one's they knew of. Who knew how many other's she had lost.

He sighed and handed Carter to the EMT. Tony saw that Ziva was about to growl again so he put a reassuring arm around her shoulder and they got back into the position the were in on the wall.;

This didn't go unnoticed by Gibbs but neither seemed to car he was staring at them. He would let it slide for now. Ziva needed the comfort but later he would reinforce Rule 12 if it wasn't broken by then.

Gibbs knew what he was about to do was pretty much asking for them to break Rule 12 he did it anyways. "Ziva and Carter aren't safe together. Carter's coming with me to NCIS and you two," he pointed to Ziva and Tony "Safe house." he threw them the keys and walked away with Carter in his arms.

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!**


	10. The Package

**A/N:sorry i havent updated in two .well now im updating every other two chapter a day plus work&practice is too .**

**right here i want to thank **_Just Another Tomboy _**she's** **reviewed this sooo many !!!!i also suggest you check out her fic **_Bonded By Blood_ **veryyyy good.:)**

**i do not own!**

The ride back to the safe house was silent. Tony could tell Ziva was distraught that not only did Alex get kidnapped but she was being separted from Carter also.

He didn't want to do or say anything that might upset her further. The last thing he wanted was an unhappy Ziva. _Not fun!_

So they sat in their oddly comfortable silence. Condemned to their own thoughts. Haunting them like nightmares that would never go away until all was well. And even then the wounds would never heal completely. Some wounds cant be licked clean. Some wounds are deeper than that.

So Ziva thought about her deepest wounds. The painful memories that came flooding back with them tearing her apart from the inside.

_Tali. God she was so young. So full of life. And then so not full of life. Dead. Just like that. No warning nothing. Just gone. She never got to tell her goodbye. How much she loved her and would miss her she would never forget Tali never. Tali reminded her that her father wasn't all evil. He left one daughter to not be trained for a killer. Yet, she was dead. Unfairly dead. She was so innocent. Just walking home from school. She remembered the day so vividly every detail but she rarely relived. It was too painful even for her._

_*Flashback*_

_Ziva was in the gym working out when Ari walked in. he looked sad. He never let his emotions show on his face. This couldn't be good._

_Before she had a chance to ask what was wrong he spoke. So quickly so quietly that if she didn't have good hearing she wouldn't have heard him but she did and she wised she didn't._

"_Tali is dead. Killed by a suicide bomber." he walked no sprinted towards the gym door not wanting to face Ziva but he knew better than to leave her all alone at a time like this. He turned on his heel and pulled Ziva into a hug . "I'm so sorry Ziva." _

_*End Flashback*_

Ziva subconsciously fingered her Star of David it used to be Tali's. it was the only thing that wasn't destroyed in the blast. She only took it off when she was undercover and even then it was painful for her to do so.

Tear's welled up in Ziva's eyes as she remembered Tali. Tali was her best friend. They were so different yet so close.

She sighed with relief as they pulled up to the safe house she could feel Tony's eyes on her. Tony had driven around senselessly so he knew they weren't being followed even after Ziva assured them they weren't.

She just wanted to get inside and take a shower. Where steaming water and long-awaited tears mixed together to form as one.

As they unlocked the apartment Tony made it very clear he wasn't going to let her do that. He sat her on the couch before placing a blanket over her and going to make her tea.

She stared blankly at the wall and from what Tony could tell hadn't moved an inch since he went to make her some tea ten minutes ago.

She nodded her thanks to Tony and quietly sipped the tea. Tony could see the tears welling up in her eyes so we walked over to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

She put her head in the space between his shoulder and head and after a while Tony could feel his shirt getting wet.

He didn't mind. He just stroked her hair trying to comfort her as best as he could. Soon they both fell asleep.

They didn't notice the car that pulled up. didn't hear when the man got out and walked into the building. didn't sense his presence.

They didn't see the man slip something through there mail hole. The tiny package that consisted off a picture of a very frightened Alex and a man holding a knife to her throat.

Or the letter from said man with his demands from Ziva in exchange for one certain little girls life.

**reviewwww!**


	11. Shattered Lives

**A/N:i dont own.....**

Ziva woke up at 0500h. She planned to go for a run but before she could leave tony grabbed her from behind and pulled her back towards the couch nearly tripping over a package on the ground neither saw before.

Ziva picked it up gingerly and carried it to the couch sitting next to tony in the same spot she fell asleep in last night.

She opened the package holding her breath the whole time. This didn't go unnoticed by tony who felt her not only stop breathing but tense up.

He placed a gentle comforting arm around her shoulders. His silent way of telling her to take her time. Relax. He was here for her. He wasn't going anywhere. _Ever._

Not that she knew about the ever part yet. But she would. In due time. In due time….

Ziva emptied the contents of the box onto the coffee table that was littered with newspapers, magazines and movies. She had to bite her lip from gasping when she saw the picture of Alex tied to her chair. Her father holding her at knife point.

She assessed the photo and left out a sigh of relief that she found no injuries other that cuts and bruises that were no deeper than a fourth of an inch.

Then she saw a letter at the bottom of the package that had failed to fall out. She read it while Tony examined the picture and called Gibbs from the bedroom.

_Ziva,_

_It is time we get our revenge for Ari's death. Meet at the warehouse on 87th__ street at 0600h if you want Alex to live to see another day. _

_Though I hope you know it won't matter to you whether she lives or dies. You are going to die anyways. _

_Do not bother bringing back up unless you want them and Alex to die along with you. Say your goodbye's the clock is ticking. I'll be waiting._

Ziva glanced around to make sure that Tony was still in the other room before she found a piece of paper and wrote a note to her family at NCIS.

_Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby, Jenny, Ducky and Palmer,_

_I hope you guys can understand what I'm about to do. I have to save Alex if it's the last thing I do-and it will be. By the time you get this letter I will be dead already so don't come after me unless you want to be killed too. Please don't come after me._

_Gibbs-please take care of Carter and Alex for me. I know you would be able to. I wont be able to rest in my gave knowing they aren't safe. Keep them safe. For me and for Kate. Keep them safe like I wasn't able to. Be the father they never had. That is what you were to me. Thank you for every thing you have done for me. You were better to me than my own father. But this one thing I beg of you-don't let the team grieve for too long. It is better the faster you guys move on._

_McGee-do not let Tony keep bossing you around. Stand up for yourself and keep him in line for me. You are like a brother to me. Well a none terrorist brother that is. Please take good care of Abby for me. Don't let her give my replacement a hard time. It is not their fault I'm dead. Make sure you take care of yourself to in he midst of taking care of Abby. Have a good life Tim._

_Abby- please do not waste too much time crying. I know that it is how you grieve but I ask that you do not spend to much time grieving my death. But do not keep it all bottled up like I did though I know you couldn't. Abby, you are like my sister and I love you so much and I will miss you deeply and I will never forget you, even in death._

_Jenny-you gave me the chance to be on this team at NCIS and that is more than I can ever thank you for. It has been the best five years of my life and you also took me away from Mossad and my father. Words cannot express how much I thank you for that. Do not grieve in silence like Cairo please. That is the last thing I want-for you to feel pain on my doing. You saved by life several times, and I thank you for that. Until we meet again Jenny._

_Ducky-I valued our tea times and your stories more than you will ever know. They were very interesting and gave a strange sense of comfort to me. You gave me wonderful advice and I am ever grateful. My one request from you though is to not let the team see my body if it's ever found. I do not think they can handle that. I can barely ever handle that. Give Jimmy my best wishes._

_Tony-do not blame yourself. If you do I will haunt you until the day you die and I then I will personally kick your ass for grieving too long and blaming yourself. Do not drown your sorrows in alcohol either, it will do you no good. Please do not come looking for me. It will only bring you death and more sadness to the team. I want you to be a part of Carter and Alex's life. Show them what it is like to have fun and be carefree again. Help them through this. The three of you need each other. You need to help them. The death of a second mother will not be easy on them. The three of you will help each other through it I hope. Please except your new partner a partner and not a replacement for me. I know I could never be replaced and I know you guys wont be trying to replace me. I would also like to say sorry Tony, you lost a partner just over five years ago and now you're losing another. Although this is goodbye for now I will be watching over you and I will protect you. Once partners always partners._

_I will miss you all deeply and I love you all so very much. You are the closest I have had to family in a long long time. I will never ever forget you guys and I hope you wont forget me either. Though I wont be with you physically I will be with you mentally emotionally spiritually and in your memories._

_Tell Carter and Alex that I'm sorry I couldn't protect them. Alex will most likely be returning to you at the time of my death. Tell them I love them and miss them already and that no matter how much it hurts that its for the best. The bad men will be gone now. They will be safe. And not to worry about me because I will be with Kate. We will watch over them and protect them. Though I did a lousy job when I was with them. Tell them I love them and to never forget me._

_Until we meet again in a better place this is goodbye but not forever. We will meet again. Hold onto that thought. I will see you again even if it's the after life._

_I love you all so much._

_Shalom,_

_Ziva_

With that she took off her Star Of David and placed it on top of the letter before silently climbing out the window onto the fire escape and walked away solemnly to the warehouse for she had time to kill so she took her time reflecting on her time at NCIS the happiness it brought to her but with that came a wave of sadness of what she would be leaving behind.

She stopped in front of the warehouse on 87th street and collected her thoughts before making her way towards the door to do one last good thing before her life came to an end.

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Tony hung up the phone. Gibbs wanted him and Ziva back at HQ because it was safer.

"Ziva?" he called out seeing an empty apartment. "Ziva this isn't funny! Where are you Sweet Cheeks?" he was getting more and more panicked.

And then he saw it. Shining in the light was her Star Of David and under it was a letter. It was addressed to the team. Tony couldn't bring himself to read it but instead called Gibbs.

Soon everyone was at the safe house reading the letter and mourning a friend they were sure to loose. Tony had pocketed the necklace before anyone got there because he needed it. He needed something of hers or else he would go mad. _So much for forever._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Across town a little girl ran out of a warehouse while a woman stepped in. A cry was made in desperation by the little girl but there was nothing she, or anyone could do._

_The young girl and the woman had barely traded places when a bomb was detonated a life ended and lives were shattered._

**i was tearing up when i wrote this.**  
**Should i end it there and go with a sequel or should i keep going?tell me in reviews.  
**


	12. Enough For Now

**A/N: special thanks to Just Another Tomboy, Bella Writer Chic, Maybe-I-Should-Write-Something&Crazy-Ninja-Chick.**

**if it wasnt for them threatening me&screaming through the computer i probably would have written only an epilogue about her funeral&ended it sadly but they wanted me to go on&keep her alive&so i did.:)thanks you guys rock!!**

**dont own except for the chair im sittin' on&the computer im writin' on.  
**

Ziva coughed and moved some rubble off of her lower body. _Amateurs. They detonated the bomb too soon._

Not that she was complaining. Another minute and she would have been buried under what used to be the warehpuse. She most likely would not have survived if th two _men_ if to could call them that waited another minute.

She looked herself over. She had a few cuts and some burns on her arm and her head hurt a little but it was nothing too serious.

Though her injuries that were healing a little bit suddenly felt new again and she groaned in pain.

Her pain went away sson when she realized that the two _things_ that set the bomb off could still be alive. She got up and looked around the warehouse and sighed in relief when she saw two bodies near the center of the room.

She didn't have to look at the bodies to know it was them.

Soon another fact dawned on her. She was alive_. _They weren't. it was over. She could live her life without a worry about _them_ coming back for her or the kids.

_Kids._ Crap. Alex. Outside. Alone. Scared. Find. Her.

Panicked thoughts ran through Ziva's head as she ran out of the warehouse. Favoring her right leg over her left a little.

She sighed with relief once she saw little Alex sitting under a nearby tree staring at the woods behind her.

Ziva walked over to her and sat next to her. Ziva pulled Alex close to her. She kissed her temple before alex even looked up to see who was comforting her.

She turned her head to the right and literally shot up when she saw Ziva sitting there. Alex thought for sure she was dead this time. She got up and pulled the little girl into a bone crushing hug that would rival Abby's.

She picked her up and held her there for a good ten minutes before deciding that other people might want to know she was alive.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony had read the letter five times over before he collapsed on the couch. He stayed like that until Gibbs and company showed up. He had called Gibbs after he read the letter the first time. The shock still fresh in his mind.

Along with shock millions of other emotions played out in his mind.

_Sorrow. Guilt. Regret. Loss._

Ziva the one woman who understood him, his best friend, his _soul mate_ was gone. Dead. Just like that.

He paid no attention to the team when they walked in. He couldn't hear Abby's sobs or McGee and Gibbs attempts to comfort her.

He snapped to attention when Gibbs slapped him on the back of the head. He didn't say anything but he sat up.

After another five minutes of aimless staring his gaze fixated on a piece of paper. A letter. But not the one that she wrote to them.

It was one to her from the kidnappers/rapists/shooters/scum. It had a meeting place. DiNozzo couldn't make words form in his mouth so he just shoved the paper under Gibbs' nose.

Within minutes they were all rushing down the streets on DC in hopes of finding Ziva-_alive._

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Ziva and Alex sat under the same tree looking up at the clouds saying random patterns of what the shapes were.

Alex was having the time in her life. Not a care in the world. Ziva on the other hand knew everyone would scold her for running off but she didn't care.

Soon she heard cars pull in and she knew NCIS had arrived. She looked at the remnants of her watch and mused to herself._ that took longer than expected. _

Alex hadn't even heard the cars pull up just around the wrehouse and she was oblivious to the people screaming hers and Ziva's name in despair with no answer from either of them.

Ziva knew she had to face them. Although it would be easy to fake her own death now and Alex's she couldn't do that to them. She just couldn't._ america had made her soft and she was glad._

She pulled Alex up and onto her back still favoring her right leg. She walked around the warehouse and stopped for a second staying in the shadows listening to the conversation take place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gibbs McGee and tony had searched through the whole warehouse ten times. After the fifth time Jenny came to join them.

The four of them searched in silence. As each second passed dread swept over them more and more. It was consuming them. It was inevitable.

After the tenth time gibbs walked out followed by Jenny McGee and reluctantly tony.

When the got outside tony kicked his car multiple times until he thought he shattered his foot. Even then he didn't stop.

"DiNozzo! Stop kicking your car. She's not dead. I would know. And I didn't give her permission to die!" gibbs barked at the distraught tony.

He complied and sunk to the ground. No one understood what he was saying but no one dared the ask him. They knew what he was going through. Everyone knew that they were tighter than partners and possibly closer than friends even if the other dared to admit it.

Hating seeing tony like this Ziva stepped out of the shadows. Abby gasped and the others looked noticeably shocked but didn't say anything. They were too stunned. Tony didn't look up.

Ziva slid Alex off her back but she wouldn't move away from her side. Ziva thought that was understandable considering _everything._

After a few minutes of silent arguing Alex walked over to Ziva's car and sat in the passenger seat, while Ziva went over and sat next to tony who still hadn't looked up.

She heard him muttering to himself about how it was his fault. And that he left he alone.

Not being able to see him that distraught anymore she leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear "What is your fault Tony?"

As soon as he heard her voice his head snapped up he couldn't hide the 1000 watt grin that formed on his face when he saw her.

Without a second thought or care if she would kill him later he pulled her into a tight hug that was a little awkward since they were sitting but neither seemed to care.

She held onto him tight her arms wrapped around his upper torso while his were closer to her waist. They breathed in each others senses as if saving them for memories.

All the while tony was whispering in her ear how she would never do that to him again and how worried he was.

Sitting there with Ziva in his arms he wanted nothing more than to kiss her and to never let he go but he wanted to relish this moment right now.

_And for right now that was enough for him. For right now it was enough for her. For right now it was enough for them....._

**PLEASE NOTE!!!this is not over yett!there is still at least one more chapter&an epilogue plus possible a sequel if i can think of what i should wrote if you have ideas for a review .:)**


	13. Kate?

**A/N: SOOOOOO SUPER SORRY!i have been so disgustingly busy&i hate it!:(**

**so i decided to give you a surprising chapter to make up for it&to keep the story going loooooooonger.:)**

**dont ownn.:(  
**

Tony and Ziva sat like that for a good ten minutes before Gibbs walked over and slapped them on the head and picked Ziva up by her arm dragging her over to Ducky.

She stated she was fine of course but nonetheless let Ducky check her over.

She seemed more worried about Alex who was sitting in the car Tony drove in with. Gibbs found it amusing that she was more worried about Alex who had nothing more than a cut and a cast on her leg than her.

She looked pretty beat up. Ziva had cuts all over her and no one failed to miss the limp she was walking with.

Although they did fail to mention it. Ziva looked pretty pissed off now for someone who was lucky to be alive.

She winced away from Ducky's touch when he went near ther injuried foot.

"Ducky, I am fine." Ziva tried once again to move away the old doctors touch but Gibbs slapped her on the back of the head again. She went to protest by moving away again but Gibbs raised his hand to slap her again so she stayed put for now.

Ducky began prodding her foot again. When he reached the spot that looked the most swollen he pushed down gently but it was enough pain for Ziva to almost kick him to get out of his grasp.

Ziva smiled apologetically at the doctor, "It's fine Ziva."

After twenty minutes of examination Ducky finished and walked with Ziva over to where Gibbs McGee DiNozzo Jenny and Abby stood..

"She is fine. Just a badly sprained ankle and some cuts and bruises. Her 'old' injuries might take a little longer to heal because of this ordeal but she will be fine."

Abby didn't stay for the doctor's long story that was sure to follow she pulled Ziva into a hug tackling her to the ground in the process.

Ziva gratefully returned the hug and laughed at the sillyness of it but then Abby's weight on her already damaged ribs was starting to affect her.

Soon she was all but gasping for air. McGee noticed this and walked briskly over to Abby.

"Uhm Abby… I don't think Ziva can breathe." he started pulling her up before she realized she was crushing her friend and pulled the rest of her weight up.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I'm just so glad you're okay I mean we all are! You scared us and then you left with just a note and you didn't even say goodbye! I thought for sure we lost you and then when we saw the note from the loser scum that did this it just confirmed our thoughts even more. We saw the address and we sped there as fast as we could like faster than a rocket. Gibbs drove so bad that I think he would have made you're driving look good and that's saying something cause you're driving is not the greatest no offense…..and I'm just really glad you're alive." abby paused to take a breath and when she looked like she was going to start again McGee pout his hand over her mouth.

"Abby, I think you're giving her a headache." she glared at him before walking over to Ducky seeing that jenny tony and gibbs were making there way over to where McGee and Ziva were.

The first thing that Gibbs did was slap the back of her head _hard._

"You ever try a stunt like that again David and I will slap your head all the way back to Israel." he looked at her sternly before lewaning down to her ear and whispering ever so softly. "Glad you're ok."

Everyone else took their turn hugging Ziva and telling her they were glad she was okay. Abby took about ten.

After about two they all blurred together for Ziva. She was staring at the car that Alex was sitting in. she was looking out the back window of the car at the clouds that she and Ziva were looking at not long ago.

She looked back at Ziva and smiled. The smile that was so much like her mothers.

Some days it tore her apart the next days it brought a smile to her face and reminded her of the good times.

Today, it tore her apart and Ziva found herself longing her old friend that she once knew and cared so much for.

She saw something no _someone _lurking in the shadows. Ziva instantly panicked but then she recognized the face and thought she was dreaming.

She pinched herself multiple times and still she saw the face the face she never thought she would see again.

The face she mourned, the face she cried over.

One of the only faces she cried over.

Ziva walked forward and no one questioned her they saw her looking at Alex and assumed that she was going over to be with Alex but they looked at her confused when she walked right past the car and to a nearby tree.

Ziva let out one barely audible word before silent sobs went through her body.

"_Kate."_

**so kate's was a spur of the moment decision as in i decided this about two minutes ago!**

**again so sorry about the long wait.i should be more frequent but no prmises. reviews?**

**nicole.:)  
**


	14. After Kate

**A/N:heyyyy...thanks for all the amazingg reviews!**

**i dont own.**

Ziva looked at the woman standing before her.

It couldn't be. Shouldn't be. She was imagining this.

But she wasn't. and that scared her to no end.

Kate looked at her longtime friend. The one she left with her kids. The one she left pretending to be dead.

She knew that ziva would probably hate her especially when kate told her the reason she faked her own death and someone else's for that.

But eventually she would come around and just be happy that she was alive and well.

She hoped.

Ziva looked up at kate and the first thing she felt was joy. Pure joy that she was in fact alive and not sitting in a grave six feet under with a bullet hole through her forehead.

But nope- she was standing right in front of her not in a grave. Not six feet under. Not with a bullet hole through her head.

She had faked her death and left ziva to take care of her two daughters. There was no warning no goodbye.

It wasn't like an illness where they knew she had a certain amount of days to live and could prepare themselves for her death.

None of that just a phone call from kate's dad saying that kate was dead. Sniped on the rooftop with gibbs and tony.

And then when she had learned that ari had killed kate. Oh she almost burst out laughing. Ari killing kate.

She had thought ari would never kill kate. Ari knew that kate had kids he would never them motherless.

Yet he had. But he hadn't? had he tried to or had they both planned it?

Ziva's head hurt from all the unanswered questions spinning in her head.

She was getting angry being left in the dark. She did not like to be left in the dark. But she was and she was angry. Very angry and an angry ziva was a dangerous ziva a very dangerous ziva.

Without thinking hesitation or regrets she punched kate right in the face.

Kate knew ziva would be mad but she didn't think ziva would actually take a swing at her. She wasn't prepared for it so when the impact came she let out a yelp of pain.

Ziva looked at her no pain in her eyes no regret just satisfaction.

Ziva gave her one last look of pure disgust before taking Alex out of the car and carrying her towards the family that kate left behind.

Kate shed a single tear as she was watching ziva interact with the NCIS family. It made her sad to see how much love they gave her. They never showed her that much love.

Given they had known her longer but it still hurt and kate was wondering if she even made the right choice.

Then she remembered her husband and three new kids waiting for her at her house. She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked back into her car but not before casting one last glance at the team.

Ziva had looked back at her at the same exact time and kate was sure she saw sadness and a little joy so kate made a mental note to visit her again she needed to explain and hopefully get her forgiveness.

ziva walked back over to the team and tony immediately saw the confusion hurt and _anger _in her eyes. He had no clue why she was angry but he guessed that could wait for later.

Instead he just brought her into a hug and she held onto him like a lifeline much to tonys disbalievement but he certainly wasn't complaining.

When they pulled out of the hug tony didn't let go of her waist holding her close to him.

He had almost lost her once no wait _three_ times and he wasn't planning on doing it anytime soon.

After another ten minutes of random talking and many hugs from random team members later the other team taking care of the crime scene had finally arrived and they were free to go home.

Tony was going home with ziva because his apartment was barely anything above ashes and he didn't really want to go back there anyways bad memeories that led to bad events very bad events.

When they got to ziva's apartment ziva got Carter and Alex into their pajama's and put them to into bed before dragging tony into her bedroom.

"Getting a little ahead of ourselves now aren't we Zee-vah?" ziva just smirked and stripped out of her clothes and walking over to her dresser and grabbing sweats for her and extra large sweats for tony to wear.

She turned around to find tony staring at her she stalked over to him and she heard his breathing hitch.

"Now who's the one getting ahead of themself tony?" she smirked and turned around to put her clothes on. She felt weird with tony watching her dress but not undress. Weird.

She was about to change when she felt tony's eyes still on her. She turned around and sure enough he was still staring he didn't look as if he moved an inch.

She decided to have a fun and tease him a bit.

She walked around him and onto the bed tony still staying in thee same spot but his eyes lingered on her and she knew it.

She came behind him and leaned all her weight on him. She laughed when she heard him moan as she put her hands on both sides of him barely touching his thighs but it was enough.

When she felt she had teased him enough she got out from behind him and put her sweats on.

She could hear the breathe he let out right when she got off the bed and smirked.

Twenty minutes later they were sitting visibly closer than needed on the couch watching a the middle of the movie she took the remote and paused it he turned to face her and she took a deep breathe before starting.

"Tony, I think I saw Kate today......."

**sooo...what do you think?i love reviews. thanks to Just Another Tomboy.:)check out her story Bonded By Blood.**

**alsoo who is the Kates mystery husband.i think you can guess.:)**


	15. Because She Wants Them Back

"_Tony, I think I saw Kate today."_

Tony's mouth would have hit the floor if his jaw would allow it. Kate. Alive. The Kate he worked with for two years was alive and well. Not dead.

What the hell was going on?

"Are-are y-you sure?" he managed to choke out after what seemed like hours to Ziva. She sighed. Why she told tony she did not know. Well she did know but she wasn't going to think about that right now.

"Yes. And to her it seemed perfectly normal that she just left pretending to die, she left her kids tony! Carter and Alex were two when their mother 'died.'" she put an extra emphasize on the word _died._

"And now she expects that she can just float up," tony didn't even try to correct her "and be like oh yeah I never died I just faked it for god knows what reason! Not to mention her timing!"

Tony watched in awe as the Mossad officer had a breakdown in front of him. He saw a single tear fall down her cheek and acting on impulse tony pulled her into a hug holding her bone crushingly close to him.

Ziva was rambling on and on and on when she felt a tear slid down her cheek and then she was _very _close to tony. It was almost a little too close. _almost_. Ziva felt more tears at the back of her eyes but she held them back she didn't want to sob like a maniac in front of tony.

Instead she took deep shallow breaths until the need to cry vanished and she melted into the embrace tony was holding her in.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Ziva pulled away. They both felt the loss immediately.

"I am tired it has been a long however many days it has been. I am going to sleep." he nods to her before slipping his shoes and jacket of and settling on the couch to sleep.

Ziva turned around. "You are not seriously sleeping on the couch, it is too uncomfortable. Come you can sleep in my bed."

Tony definitely wasn't going to complain at that request. He followed her eagerly into her bedroom pulling his pants and shirt off so he was just in his boxers. 'to be more comfy.'

Ziva settled into bed and drew her closer to him. He draped an arm across her stomach almost sub-consciously.

She moved into his embrace and he smiled down at her. She looked up and they locked eyes. Tony pulled her face up to meet his and quickly closed the gap between there lips.

The kiss was slow and tender neither wanting to go farther or faster but not wanting to stop either.

Finally the need for air became increasingly high and Ziva pulled away before their lungs gave way due to lack of air.

They were about to go in for a second kiss when a persistent knocking on Ziva's door interrupted them.

She climbed out of bed and walked over to the door and opened it. Who she saw on the other side of the door was the last person she expected.

On the other side of the door was Kate but along with her were two young boys about three and two and a one year old girl.

And standing behind Kate was another face that Ziva never thought she would see again. That is alive anyways.

The face that haunted her dreams almost every night she spent alone.

_Ari._

Ziva's knees buckled at the sight of them. Together. Happy.

Tony heard the thump and ran out instantly. "Hey Sweet Cheeks you alright?" he saw her on the floor and ran to her hugging her close to him.

After murmuring a few words in her ear and stroking her hair he looked up to see what caused her to collapse like that.

His reaction was similar to Ziva's except he tensed up and held Ziva closer to him. Ari noticed this and bent down to his level trying to get Ziva to look at him but even if she had wanted to tony wouldn't let her.

He was still holding her protectively to him and she was now straddling him nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck. One hand held her head there stroking her hair while the other wrapped around the back of her waist and rested on the small of her back.

Ziva's hands were wrapped around his torso and Ari noticed the intimacy in this position but opted not to say anything to push the situation even farther.

Kate had already walked into the apartment and was poking her head around looking for something or someone's in her case.

"Where are my girls?" at this statement Ziva's head shot up and she jumped out of Tony's lap in front of Ziva.

"They are sleeping in there rooms where they will stay until you tell me why you are here and what the hell is going on! And even then I do not know if I want them to see you. It would be too hard for them." Ziva explained.

By now tony and Ari had stood up and tony was standing behind Ziva and he had his arm wrapped around her waist. She leaned into him using him for support emotionally and physically.

Kate and Ari had occupied the couch while the three kids had fallen asleep on the floor. Ziva grabbed some pillows and some blankets and made a comfortable bed for them.

Kate and Ari couldn't help but smile at the motherly side that Ziva had. There faces quickly changed into serious expressions and Kate started to explain.

"I couldn't handle it anymore. The two guys the incisive threats. I knew they were going to comeback for us, us being me and you. And I knew that you would be able to take care of the girls and yourself better than me so I did what was best for the girls in my opinion and I left them to you."

Ziva stared at her. "So you pretty much ran away. You were being a coward? And now what you just expect to just pop back into our lives. Did you even think how anyone would feel about this? No! you only thought about yourself-" Ziva was cut off from her rant when tony put his hand over her mouth.

She shut up but glared at him. He gave her his signature smile and went to continue where Ziva left off.

"While I agree with Ziva here I have on more question before I ask you to get the hell out. What is Ari doing here?"

Ari chose that moment to speak up. "I did not wish to be HAMAS anymore. Much like the Mossad one does not just quit HAMAS so I faked my death. Me and Caitlin started talking at the airport when we were both going to Europe and well you can guess what happened then."

Tony felt his anger rising and he was about to scream at them when a scared Carter walked out of her bedroom having been woken up from Ziva's outburst.

"Mom?" Kate was almost hopeful that her daughter had been talking to her maybe she had recognized her.

She was disappointed to say the least when Carter walked straight past her and into Ziva's arms.

"Yes buttercup I am fine a little shocked and pissed off but fine nonetheless." Carter nodded and went back to bed after Ziva got her some warm milk and sang her a lullaby.

"So Kate," she started assuming her pissed off demeanor "why the hell are you exactly here?"

Kate sighed. "Because, I ant Carter and Alex back."


	16. Without Any Music

**A/N:thanks for all the positive feedback everyone.:)i love you all!**

**dont own.....  
**

Ziva was sure that if Tony's hand wasn't wrapped around her waist holding her up than she would have fallen over due to shock.

Kate wanted to just take her kid's back and pretend nothing ever happened. Why now? And suddenly Ziva knew. Because the threat was gone. She let Ziva do the dirty work and Kate got to keep the kids. She was boiling over in anger and she thought she would burst.

Tony sensed that she wouldn't be able to talk so he did that talking for her. "Excuse me!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? You just let Ziva almost get killed while you watch and then expect to take back the kids you abandoned FIVE years ago! You just waited until those two were eliminated didn't you? So that you could have your kids back with no harm done? Did you not think at all how this will affect Carter and Alex. They were told that their precious mommy was killed in a heroic act but really she was just a coward. And what about Ziva? You left your kids in her care. She has raised them since they were two and now you just want to take them away from her? You are not the person I thought you were. I think you should leave now Kate."

He pulled Ziva's hand and dragged her into Carter and Alex's room and locked the door. Kate and Ari followed but didn't try to un lock the door.

Carter and Alex both woke up from Tony's loud yelling. Alex looked groggily from Tony to Ziva and asked "Who were you yelling at?"

They both glanced at each other and gripped each others hand before Ziva answered. "That was your mom Alex."

Now it was the girl's turn to look at each other but this time it was Carter who spoke. "Our mom? I thought she died five years ago?" Carter sounded and looked genuinely confused as did Alex.

Ziva sighed before answering. "So did we but she only pretended to die to protect herself and now that the threat is gone she wants you girls back." Ziva had to choke out the last part because of the tears that threatened to fall.

It just wasn't fair. Kate got to sit idly by starting a family not to mention with Ziva's half brother while Ziva almost died god knows how many times! And now she had the nerve to ask Ziva for her daughters back! Ziva could punch her. She did once why not again?

It took a while for Carter and Alex to register what Ziva said but when they did they both screamed at the same time "NO!!!!!"

Carter grew hysterical at the thought of leaving Ziva so Alex had to elaborate. "No Ziva! She cant make us. You are our mom! A mom doesn't abandon her kids because she is scared! What if she gets scared again? Is she just going to leave us? You cant make us go! We wont go. Please Ziva no!"

Kate had heard enough as much as she wanted to be in her daughters lives she didn't want to take her away from Ziva. That did seem unfair. And the way her own daughter talked so cruelly about her made her want to throw up.

She walked back into the living room and scooped up her kids followed by Ari. They walked out the front door only to run into a very shocked and angry Gibbs, Abby, McGee Ducky and Jenny.

Tony and Ziva were so busy trying to comfort a hysterical Carter that they didn't hear the team pull up with dinner for the two. After all it was only morning when the warehouse blew and only around 5 when tony and Ziva went to sleep.

It all seemed like a lifetime ago. Once they had calmed Carter and assured her that she wasn't going anywhere she fell asleep being exhausted.

Ziva switched over to Alex's bed and saw that she was reading a language book. Japanese.

"Trying to pick up a new language?" Ziva whispered in her ear startling Alex but she didn't jump she had learned Ziva liked to scare people a lot.

"Yeah. It's a lot harder that it looks." alex looked at the book quizzically and Ziva laughed but then she heard yelling in the living room.

She sighed and looked at tony. "Oh my god. Just when you think things are quieting down." tony smirked and Ziva got up bringing alex and her book with her tony trailing behind.

When they got into the living room they saw the team yelling at Kate and Ari except Jen and Ducky who were having there own conversation.

Ziva immediately put Alex on the ground and her and tony stood in front of her. Blocking her from view. No one even noticed the three walked into the room. Getting fed up Ziva whistled catching everyone's attention.

Ziva narrowed her eye's at Kate "I thought Tony told you to leave." she almost growled and was about to yell at her at her earlier request when Alex tugged at her leg.

"Yes buttercup?" Ziva asked bending down to reach her level. Everyone watched in awe still shocked at the motherly side of Ziva they had never seen before.

"What does that say?" Alex asked pointing to a word in Japanese. Everyone except tony was shocked that a girl that young was teaching herself Japanese.

"It says it's time for bed considering everything that happened and your brain is going to fry if you resort to your languages right now." Ziva smiled and picked Alex up piggy back style and walked off into the girls bedroom.

Everyone else was quiet and no one said anything they just stared at the hallway Ziva descended into. The only noise to be heard was giggling from both Alex and Ziva.

Tony chuckled to himself at the thought of Ziva giggling and he wanted to see what was making her giggle so he walked into the girls bedroom.

He sat on Carters bed as Ziva dressed Alex in crazy mismatched clothes before putting pajama's on her and braiding her hair. She walked out of the room momentarily to get a glass of water for Alex and Carter seeing that she woke up due to the giggling.

She put Carter in pajamas putting her hair in the identical braid that Alex's was in and tucking her in before singing them a soft lullaby watching them peacefully drift to sleep.

Tony smiled at Ziva's motherly side and he stood behind her his arms wrapped around her waist he whispered in her ear "You really are an amazing mother."

Ziva smiled and leaned into him whispering in his ear "You didn't do so bad yourself with Carter. She's the tough one usually."

"Well you know I am a natural with kids." Ziva laughed mockingly and tony feigned hurt as Ziva turned around in his arms to face him laying her head on his chest.

It looked as though they were dancing with no music but they had there own music in each others minds flowing freely between the two of them.

They were in there own little world just the two of them. Complete bliss and happiness. Tony looked down at Ziva and tilted her head up to meet her gaze and he leant down and kissed her passionately on the lips.

She moved his arms up to his hair playing with the ends of it through her fingers and he had one hand on her waist one hand on the small of her back holding her as close to him as possible.

They stayed like that ignoring the need for air until they heard laughter coming from the two beds. "Girls go to sleep." Ziva mumbled her lips still on Tony's.

The laughter died down but they could hear them moving and whispering. "You heard your mother bed time." Ziva was amazed at how much tony sounded like a father when he said that and how both Alex _and _Carter listened to him.

When they were settled back down they walked back into the living room and immediately went to the kitchen walking past everyone as if they weren't there.

They walked back out two minutes later Ziva holding two wine bottles and tony holding enough glasses for all of them.

Ziva poured wine in all the glasses before sitting on the couch next to tony. "Okay. Let us get this whole thing settled, yes?"

**i needed to add some tiva. im dying from tiva neglect.:(**

**reviews are love&my three nicest reviews will get the chapter dedicated to them&there story if they are reading one.:D  
**


	17. It's Not Over

**im baaaaaack!didya miss me&my story.?i hope you did. i would apologize for the wait but i was on vacation. not going to apologize for that!**

**dontt own...:(**

Kate was about to explain to everyone why she was indeed alive when they heard cries from the room occupied by the twin girls.

Ziva jumped up and ran towards the room. She walked in and saw carter sitting up with tears streaming down her face clutching the sheets to her like a life line.

she walked over to carter and picked her up sitting her on her lap. She faced her towards her and carter instantly wrapped her legs around Ziva's waist and her arms around her torso.

Ziva wrapped her one arm around her back and the other in the back of her head holding her head in the crook of Ziva's neck.

she traced circles on carters back softly singing in her ear. After ten minutes she could feel carters breathing become heavier and her eyelids close on her neck.

she was about to lay carter back down when her arms moved to her neck and locked around her neck making it impossible for Ziva to lay carter down but now she was stuck.

she had carter halfway on the bed laying partially down and partially sitting. Ziva was bent over and she couldn't get back up without the use of her arms.

she tried using her feet but pushed too hard end ended up lying on her back with carter on her with a loud heard the thump from the living room and ran into carter and Alex's room within seconds causing Gibbs to smirk.

if this were three days ago he would of yelled in but now he was sprinting? there was definitely something going on and frankly Gibbs didn't care as long as they didn't do it in front of was as close to a blessing as they would couldn't help but laugh loudly when he saw the scene in front of him.

"just help me up without waking her up Tony." Tony hooked his arms under her armpits and pulled her up grunting on the way.

when Ziva was stable Tony wrapped his arms around her waist right under where carters butt was and kissed her neck on the side carter wasn't leaned into Tony before pulling away.

"not now Tony we need to figure this out. Later I promise." she smirked and stalked out if the room Tony licked his lips as he watched her sat down on the couch and Tony took his respective next to her there thighs touching. everyone saw this but no one wanted to piss of the already angry Ziva. she pointed her finger at Kate and all but hissed at her. "talk.""I received threats against me and carter and Alex about two months before I faked my death. I figured that they would be safer if I was dead."

"and for you." Ziva pointed out while glaring at her.

"yes. And for me. But that's pretty much it. " Ziva looked at Ari and if looks could kill he would be dead for real this time."I was on the run. What better way to hide than to fake your death?" he chuckled forcing everyone to glare at him."and then you two met get married start a family and then five years later you come back ask for the girls back and leave?" Ziva probably would have strangled them if there wasn't a forty pound girl sleeping on her saw she was agitated so he placed a hand on the open space on her thigh and whispered on her ear"Ziva calm down sweet cheeks." Ziva turned her head to glare at him.

"that's not the only reason I-we came back. we wanted to watch over you guys and try to help out if we could."

"you guys did an amazing job at that." Ziva said sarcasm evident in her voice.

"alright well if you guys are done yelling at me I think we will leave." Kate got up and gathered her stuff before Abby stopped her at the door."Kate how could you do that to us and your kids! You were my best friend and then you just died! I was sad but I got over it eventually but this, I don't know if I'll ever get over this." she stepped aside and let Kate pass never looking her in the they were gone Ziva looked at the time 8 o clock. she was starving her stomach started growling which everyone took the container of Chinese from the table.

"I'll go heat this up for you." Ziva grabbed it from him.

"I got it McGee thanks." they looked at her questioningly.

"you sure Ziva cause like you have the girl."

"carter. This is carter. And yes I got it I have done this numerous times with two girls not one."

she walked into the kitchen and began heating it up while gathering plates. she was about to open one of the cabinets when a picture on the cabinet stopped was a picture of her and Tony and Carter and Alex with a big x across all there faces with three words across the top:

**IT'.OVER.**

-FINISH!-MUAHAHA!

look for the sequal to she knew who?it'll be coming soon.:)


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